Requiem for the Flash Intro: Seven Dying Trends in Website Design

Thanks to the now ubiquitous #TBT (that’s “throwback Thursday” for those of you who don’t speak hashtag), every week we’re all treated to a cringe-inducing trip down memory lane that takes us on a tour of our most regrettable fashion choices, whether it’s the bad perms and acid-washed jeans we sported in the 80s, the grunge-era plaid shirts and Doc Martens of the 90s or the velour sweatsuits and Carrie Bradshaw-inspired nameplate necklaces we left behind in the early aughts. Just as in fashion, website design trends come and go. What’s popular one day is old news the next. And just as you wouldn’t wear shoulder pads and stirrup pants to a sales meeting, you don’t want your website to be an embarrassing amalgamation of passé design trends. After all, if your website looks dated, it won’t inspire confidence among prospective customers that you’re on top of your game – no matter what game it is that you’re playing. Here are seven once-popular design trends that are fading fast – and that you should purge from your website as soon as you can:

1. Flash intros

Once upon a time, everybody and their brother wanted a Flash intro to create a memorable first impression. These days, though, having a Flash intro is a recipe for disaster. First, in today’s era of mobile surfing, speed and simplicity win the day. Keep in mind, too, that Flash and iOS do not mix, so your site won’t even be accessible to users on Apple gadgets. Also, today’s visitor demands more control and fewer bells and whistles that only serve as obstacles to accomplishing their end goal.

2. Pop-over windows

As site owners became increasingly eager to turn their web presence into full-blown conversion engines, the pop-over window rose to popularity. As soon as a new visitor lands on the site, BAM! they are greeted with a request to complete a form to provide their contact information in exchange for a welcome discount offer or to follow the company on Facebook for future updates and promotions, thus giving the company all the ammunition they need to continue their engagement long after that visitor has moved on to other corners of the Web. But while these pop-overs are good for site owners (at least in theory), they are very disruptive for the user and provide roadblocks that only make it more difficult for them to accomplish what they originally came to the site to do. As a result, any value that might be gained in collecting the user’s data is quickly negated if that user has no interest in continuing their as a result of this negative first encounter. Thankfully, good UX is winning this battle, and the pop-over is falling quickly out of favor. Reality has set in that no one comes to a site for the express purpose of helping the site’s owner market to them, so it’s hardly the best way to lay a foundation for a successful long-term relationship. Instead of leading off the conversation with your survey request, Facebook follow prompt or current promotion, simply allow your visitors to dive right into the site to find the information they’re seeking or complete their desired task. Keep your mailing list sign-up and Facebook links in your site’s universal framework, and if you do your job in creating a positive experience for them, your visitors will willingly allow you to become a presence in their email inbox or their Facebook news feed all on their own. Read more: Deal-Breakers and Dead-Ends: Six Turn-Offs That Alienate Website Visitors

3. Animated billboards

Oversized, rotating slideshows have become a common fixture on home pages in recent years, largely because they provide a way to present several key messages to the visitor without requiring them to scroll or to click past the initial page. However, UX tests show that these animated presentations are not as effective as we’d like to think. While the initial message in the carousel often prompts a click, the effectiveness of subsequent messages in the loop drops dramatically because many users do not stick around to see all of the slides. Other users ignore these animated areas completely, perceiving them as banner advertisements that should be glossed over in search of more meaningful content. The billboard remains a popular design feature; however, the trend is growing toward featuring a singular strong message in this area combined with a striking visual image. Streamlining and simplifying allows this one key idea to come across loud and clear rather than being lost among a muddled array of messages that are presented indiscriminately in the hopes that one will result in the desired outcome.

4. Information overload

Continuing with the theme of reductionism, today’s most successful websites pare down the information presented on the home page in order to create a cleaner, more focused presentation. This is in stark contrast to the approach that many sites took for years, which was to stuff the home page with as much information as possible in the hopes that visitors would find whatever they might be looking for on that page without having to dig any deeper. The result is a page that is utterly lacking in direction; nothing is emphasized because everything is emphasized. In the end, instead of being guided intuitively toward the information they seek, users are driven away by an overwhelming mess of content that is not properly organized and prioritized. To avoid this pitfall, focus on only the most important information for visitors while providing easy pathways, such as search tools and user-friendly site navigation, to help them find the content that lies deeper in the site. This approach will ultimately yield a better experience for your users and therefore better results for your company.

5. Drop-down menus

For years, the drop-down menu has been the go-to solution for streamlining a site’s primary navigation options while providing easy access to secondary pages. But with the advent of touch-based devices, which do not have a hover state, drop-down menus no longer serve the needs of all users. The simple fact of the matter is that with the rapid growth of mobile Web use, you simply can’t afford to risk leaving these visitors stranded with no way to delve beyond your site’s home page. Instead, a better solution for modern websites is to feature secondary page navigation options along the top or side of the page within the relevant section of the primary navigation. Read more: 3 Simple Rules for Navigation That Will Boost Your Website’s Performance

6. Contact forms

The contact form has long been a staple of websites – so much so that it’s often used in place of providing other means of contacting a company, such as a phone number or email address. However, more and more, site owners are choosing to eliminate this form altogether in an effort to provide a more personal, service-driven experience. Instead of having a visitor’s first interaction with their company occur via a cold, faceless web form that goes to an anonymous recipient and assures no timeline for response, the company elects to provide only their phone number so that the customer’s needs can be addressed immediately and directly by a live human being. While contact forms are not likely to disappear completely anytime soon, what is going away is the practice of relying on these forms as the sole vehicle for communication with customers and prospects.

7. Third-person narratives

Your website should embody the voice and personality of your brand. As such, it simply makes no sense for the content to be written from a third-person perspective, as if it’s being read to the user by a distant omniscient narrator. Instead, writing in the first-person creates a softer, more approachable tone that puts a human face on your company. It’s the difference between saying, “At Sanford & Son Remodeling, their goal is to ensure your satisfaction.” and “At Sanford & Son Remodeling, our goal is to ensure your satisfaction.” Which one feels more authentic? More warm and personable?

Beyond keeping up with the Jonses

Remember: keeping pace with the latest trends in website design is more than skin-deep. It’s not about having more bells and whistles than your competition; it’s about providing the best experience for all users, no matter how or where they’re accessing your site. By staying ahead of the curve, you’ll ensure that your site continually evolves to meet the needs and expectations of users who are constantly adapting to new devices and technologies.

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Great Content, No Readers: How to Solve Your Subscriber Problem

Hybrid or Hummer: What kind of mileage is your content getting?

Previously, we established that content is the gasoline in your business growth engine. But your job doesn't end when you hit "publish." Promoting your content is just as important as creating it. If content is the gasoline in your business growth engine, then promotion is the difference between putting that gasoline in a Prius versus a Hummer. Even the most value-packed content can’t help your business grow if no one is reading it. For your content to deliver results, you must actively engage in bringing new people to your site.

Here are 12 tried-and-true tactics to boost your readership and maximize the mileage you’re getting from the resources you’re investing in creating great content.

Be a citizen of the web marketing universe.

No website or blog starts out with its own built-in community. However, established communities do exist everywhere around the Web. Identify the ones where the types of people who would be interested in the topics you write about are already hanging out, reading and making connections. Join in the dialog there by commenting on blog posts or participating in discussion forums. Don’t be a shameless self-promoter. Focus instead on adding value to the conversation. If you do a good job, people will be naturally curious to learn more about you, and they’ll seek out your site to see what else you have to say. Just make sure to include a link in your signature so they’ll know where to find you.

Don't beg for links; present win-win opportunities.

Once you’ve earned your stripes as a trusted and valued member of these communities, you can begin reaching out to the other blog owners that run in these circles for opportunities to gain exposure to their readers. But don’t just ask them to link to your site. After all, what do they stand to gain from giving you a link? Instead, frame your request so that it provides benefit to the person on the receiving end as well. For example, invite them to be featured in an interview on your site. Even the most successful and well-established bloggers are always looking for a little added exposure, and they’ll undoubtedly promote their appearance to their fans, too. Or ask if you can contribute a guest post to their site. Most bloggers will be relieved to have one less post to write, and you’ll get the chance to put your own original content in front of their readers, with the added benefit of a link in your bio.

Give links to get links.

When you’re composing your posts, there’s no need to pretend that you’re the one and only person who’s ever had anything of value to say on your chosen subject matter. Link to other articles and experts who’ve either offered great insights on that topic or taken an opposing point of view, if you want to refute their claims. When you publish your article, shoot the person whose blog you’ve linked to an email or a direct message on Twitter. It will definitely get you noticed and will more than likely get you either a retweet or a link in return.

Leverage the connections you already have.

Don’t assume that everyone who follows you on Facebook or Twitter also reads everything you post on your site. Every time you publish a new article, make sure you extend that content to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and any other social media platforms where you are active. Instead of simply posting a link to your article, a great trick is to turn your headline into a question. Open-ended questions leave people craving an answer, which will prompt them to click through to satisfy their curiosity. If you’re using this tactic on Twitter, remember to keep your post to 120 characters or less (link included) in order to allow for retweets.

Extra! Extra! Let them read all about it.

Create a weekly or monthly email newsletter that’s a digest of your most recent posts. Enhance the value of this newsletter by incorporating a few bite-sized tips or links to other interesting articles from around the Web. You might be surprised at the number of new readers the “forward to a friend” button might bring you.

Don’t be shy.

Opportunities to subscribe to and share your content should be omnipresent. Put your email subscription offer either in the header or the sidebar of your site so that no one who visits can miss it. Add extra incentive to join your list by offering a freebie at sign-up, such as an e-book, checklist or audio download. Be sure to present the chance to subscribe to email updates at the end of every article as well. If the reader liked what they read, that’s the best time to get them to sign on.

Give them options – lots of options.

Email addresses are pure marketing gold, but don't be so laser-focused on building your list that you only offer email updates. Let your readers consume your content in the way they most prefer, whether that’s by subscribing in an RSS reader, via StumbleUpon or through the social media channels where you post links to your latest articles.

Be attentive to your readers.

When someone reaches out to you – whether by leaving a comment on an article, sending you a direct message on Twitter or dropping you an email – respond. Making them feel like a part of a community whose members are truly valued will motivate them to spread the word about you and encourage others to join the party.

Create content that sparks conversation.

The real holy grail of promotion is not generating two-way conversation between you and your readers. It's the multidimensional communication that occurs when your readers start interacting with each other as well. That's when suddenly you make the leap from publishing content to building community. The key lies in how you craft your content. While it's important to write with authority and demonstrate your expertise, don't make the presumption that you have the final say. One of your most important jobs as a creator and promoter of content is getting the ball rolling on conversation and debate. Ask for input and advice. Solicit dissenting opinions. Encourage your readers to share their own personal experiences that relate your topic. Great conversation is magnetic. It will keep your current readers coming back again and again, and draw new visitors in when they see the lively interactions that exists around your content.

Find the right balance.

Remember that you don't have to post every day or even every week if that's not realistic for you. It's better to find a comfortable rhythm that will allow you to maintain a steady pace of both creation and promotion. It’s better for someone to come to your site and see that you post one must-read article every month than to see unpredictable fits and starts of activity.

When you find something that works, stick with it.

In the game of promotion, there’s no magic formula for success. It may require a lot of trial and error before you find the right combination of tactics that work for your audience and your schedule. When you do uncover a particularly effective strategy, mine it for all it’s worth. If you write a guest post that gets a lot of attention, find out if there might be an opportunity for you to become a regular contributor on that site. If you get a significant proportion of traffic from one of the sites or forums where you’re a regular participant, by all means, keep it up. If you write a post that gets more traffic, more retweets or more comments than average, continue to develop other articles around that topic. When people tell you what they want, give it to them.

Slow and steady wins the race.

If this sounds like a lot of work, it is. Community building requires time, patience and persistence. There are plenty of articles out there with enticing headlines like “How I got 10,000 subscribers with one post!” This probably won’t happen for you. That doesn’t mean your efforts aren’t worthwhile. Don’t risk becoming a pariah by being overtly pushy and self-serving in your methods. Instead, tread carefully and treat everyone you encounter in the blogosphere – readers, commenters and fellow content creators alike – with respect. As always, follow the rules of trustcasting and allow your community to grow organically in breadth and depth as you cultivate your reputation as a credible and authoritative source of information. Over time, you’ll build a robust, thriving community of people who will not only consume your content voraciously but will ultimately become customers and evangelists for your brand.

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